The death of five patients at the Delhi government’s Sushruta Trauma Centre due to failure of oxygen supply has forced the government to act.
Delhi’s health minister AK Walia has constituted a four-member committee under the chairmanship of Dr. Arun Kumar Agarwal, dean, Maulana Azad
Medical College, to review the existing medical procedures and facilities in Delhi government hospitals.

The committee will make recommendations for modernisation, strengthening and upgradation of the medical systems. The systems, Walia said, will be overhauled based on the status and requirements of each hospital.

The health minister reviewed the situation of existing health facilities in Delhi government hospitals at a meeting attended by the secretary, health & family welfare and medical superintendents of various Delhi government hospitals.

The committee will visit hospitals and submit a detailed report within a fortnight. The four-member panel will come out with a standard operating procedure (SOP) to be implemented in hospitals being run by the state government. The minister said the health department will take appropriate action on the findings and recommendations of the committee so that such tragic incidents are not repeated in future.

Walia said the committee set up to probe the Sushruta incident was directed to submit its report within three days. Disciplinary action would be taken against officials found guilty of misconduct or dereliction of duty, the minister said.

He added that an FIR had already been lodged against the contractor and the police had been asked to expedite the probe.

He said the Delhi government would set up a state-level bio-engineering cell in Maulana Azad Medical College with inputs and support from IIT, Delhi. The cell will examine the existing medical system and lay down procedures for its upgradation.

Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit on Wednesday announced an ex-gratia relief of R2 lakh each to next of kin of the deceased.